Scotland 2019.....Achnasheen

The 2019 annual SWC Scottish trip will be to Glencarron near the small village of Achnasheen in Wester Ross on the western edge of the Highlands about an hour from Inverness. It will run from Saturday 25 May to Saturday 1 June 2019.  For more information, please contact goepfertkarenATyahooDOTcom.

Last Minute Changes / News

Peak District: cheap Advance Tickets now available (see below).

Nature proves more resilient in the drought than one expects: see Nature Blog 

Plans afoot for Scotland 2019 (see below).

Allelujuh! at Bridge Theatre

Today we are venturing out to the new addition of London's theatre land - Bridge Theatre, to see the brand new play written by Alan Bennett.

The Beth, an old fashioned cradle-to-grave hospital serving a town on the edge of the Pennines, is threatened with closure as part of an NHS efficiency drive. Meanwhile, a documentary crew eager to capture its fight for survival follows the daily struggle to find beds on the Dusty Springfield Geriatric Ward, and the triumphs of the old people’s choir (newest member: the Pudsey Nightingale). 

Alan Bennett’s new play is as sharp as The History Boys and as funny as The Lady in the Van.

To book, please click here. Pre-theater F&B and meet up will be posted close to the time.

Prom 68 at Royal Albert Hall

The booking for this year's BBC Prom has just opened.  A group of walkers are going to four
Proms.  Today is the last in the series.  You can either book a ticket, click here or just prom on the day.  As usual, we will meet on the steps of Albert Memorial opposite RAH (weather permitting) from 6pm for pre-concert picnic.  Programme below

R. Strauss
Don Juan 18’

Death and Transfiguration 26’

Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 in A major 38’

Berliner Philharmoniker
Kirill Petrenko conductor
                       

Posted on behalf of Jon G

Tuesday Walk - [Peak District Trip] Kinder Scout Circuit from Edale

Length: 26.8 km (16.7 mi) [longer and shorter routes possible, see below.]

Ascent/Descent:  905m; Net Walking Time: 7 - 9 hours

Toughness:  10 out of 10 

                

From the West, take the 08.49 Sheffield train from Manchester Piccadilly (…various stations…, New Mills Central 09.17, Chinley 09.23), arriving Edale at 09.32.

From the East, take the 09.14 Manchester Piccadilly train from Sheffield (Dore & Totley 09.21, Grindleford 09.29, Hathersage 09.32, Bamford 09.36, Hope 09.40), arriving Edale at 09.47.

Return trains to London: 16.32, 17.34, 18.32, 19.32 (change at Sheffield, from 3 hours).

Return trains: xx.47 until 19.47, then 21.45 and 23.21 towards Manchester; 16.32, 17.34, 18.32, 19.32, 21.30 and 23.01 towards Sheffield.

“This is a circuit of the Kinder Scout moorland plateau in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District with minimal directions, readily accessible by public transport.

The route described is not a true circuit, as it takes a different route up from Edale than it takes down from the plateau back to Edale. Completists can either continue along the edge from Ringing Roger to the point where the morning ascent over Grindslow Knoll joins the edge and re-trace the route from there (adds 3.4 km), or they can ascend and descend along the Grindsbrook Clough to/from the same point on the edge, this involves light but prolonged scrambling and adds 5.1 km.

In the easterly part of Kinder Scout, the plateau’s width is only about 500m, so – even without a clear path – a shortcut across it is not too arduous a prospect in the right conditions and if a confident map and compass user. The only route with a clear and firm through path is shown on the route map (cuts 1.3 km).” 

Lunch: Picnic lunch.

Tea: The Old Nag's Head, The Rambler Inn.

                                                                                   

For walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files  click here. T=swc.304

Monday Walk - [Peak District Trip] Edale Circular (via Kinder Scout and Mam Tor)

Length: 20.6 km (12.8 mi) [shorter or longer version possible, see below]

Ascent/Descent:  843m; Net Walking Time: ca. 6 ½ hours

Toughness:  10 out of 10 

                

From the West, take the 08.49 Sheffield train from Manchester Piccadilly (…var. stations…, New Mills Central 09.17, Chinley 09.23), arriving Edale at 09.32.

From the East, take the 09.14 Manchester Piccadilly train from Sheffield (Dore & Totley 09.21, Grindleford 09.29, Hathersage 09.32, Bamford 09.36, Hope 09.40), arriving Edale at 09.47.

Return trains to London: 16.32, 17.34, 18.32, 19.32 (change at Sheffield, from 3 hours).
Return trains: xx.47 until 19.47, then 21.45 and 23.21 towards Manchester; 16.32, 17.34, 18.32, 19.32, 21.30 and 23.01 towards Sheffield. 

“A walk of many contrasts in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District, associated with rugged moorlands and dramatically sculpted gritstone outcrops (or ‘edges’), which also routes through the lush Vale of Edale, while in the afternoon affording grand views into the Hope Valley (including the notable dry gorge of Winnats Pass) from the Great Ridge, which separates the Dark Peak (sandstones) from the White Peak (limestones).

Follow the Pennine Way from its start at The Old Nag’s Head pub up along the fertile Vale of Edale, surrounded by towering hills, and up the Jacob’s Ladder path to Edale Head and to the edge of the Kinder Scout moorland plateau, a rugged, desolate peat bog. You then follow the edge past some magnificent rock formations and through an area of scattered wind-and-rain-sculpted gritstone boulders to choose one of three descent routes back to Edale village for lunch.

After lunch rise steeply onto the Great Ridge overlooking the Hope Valley and up to Mam Tor, whose summit is a great vantage point and a former late Bronze Age and early Iron Age hill fort. Its other name of “Shivering Mountain” is due to frequent – and still active – landslips.

An extension to Kinder Downfall, the highest waterfall in the Peak District, either as an out-and-back or combined with a crossing of the Kinder Plateau upland peat bog (only for confident navigators), as well as some shortcuts before and after lunch, are described.”

Walk Options:

An out-and-back Extension to Kinder Downfall, the highest waterfall in the Peak District: add 5.4 km/3.4 mi and 165m ascent/descent.

An Extension to Kinder Downfall, combined with a crossing of the Kinder Plateau upland peat bog: add 3.2 km/2.0 mi (but see the warning on page 9 of the pdf).

A Shortcut via Grindslow Knoll cuts 2.8 km/1.7 mi and about 200m ascent/descent.

A Shortcut down Grindsbrook Clough (this involves light but prolonged scrambling): cut 2.5 km/1.6 mi and about 200m ascent/descent.

Cut out the southerly loop up to Mam Tor: cut 5.4 km/3.1 mi and 220m ascent, rated 7/10.

Lunch: The Old Nag's Head  (14.4 km/9.0 mi, food served all day), The Rambler Inn  (350m off route, 15.1 km/9.4 mi, food served all day).

Tea: The Rambler Inn, The Old Nag's Head or Cooper’s Café/Cooper’s Chippy (open to 16.00).

                                                                                   

For walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files  click here. T=swc.303